Stephanie Stone

2.10.2009

AUP Assignment

After reviewing the AUP for Houston County, it is clear that the district has done a fairly good job of
addressing the majority of the components as found in AUP’s: A Handbook.

Strengths

One of the biggest strengths that I found was the safety measures the county takes to protect internet
users. There is a section entitled “Internet Safety Policy—Children’s Internet Protection Act of 2000.”
The section lists the measures and precautions taken to keep children from seeing things they shouldn’t.
There are numerous sights that teachers sometimes access to find things to go along with lessons that
are blocked because of pop-ups and other things that could be harmful to little eyes or the computer
itself.

Another strength I particularly liked was the uses and advantages of the Internet. Houston County
believes that although there are materials that could be harmful, not for children’s eyes, and do not go
along with curriculum and goals, the good “far outweighs” the bad. (AUP, HCBOE) The Internet can be a
valuable tool and “information technology is to facilitate communication to support …education.”

The roles and responsibilities of schools, students, and employees are clearly laid out in the AUP as well.
These roles and responsibilities are found spread out in different areas of the AUP—for example “What
to Do When Encountering Controversial Materials, Email Guidelines, and Social Networking,” but there
is also a specific area entitled “Terms and Responsibilities” which is broken down from administration to
students. (AUP, HCBOE)

Weaknesses

Although the majority of the AUP is positive in my opinion, there were a few areas that I thought could
use a little updating.

The AUP mentions what will happen if there is a breech in Internet/intranet security—“deny, revoke, or
suspend network accounts or more stringent disciplinary actions,” but it does not go into depth on what
the “stringent disciplinary actions” are. (AUP, HCBE) Are these legal actions or just something handed
down from the Board of Education? I feel the AUP should state exactly what will happen as a result of
specific offenses. This will create no doubt about what will happen and everyone will be held to the
same standards.

The AUP does not contain a signature form, however the teacher and student handbooks each contain a
copy of the AUP and a signature page to be signed and turned in. All forms are kept on file in the school.

The only component I failed to see was a “description of the community outreach activities and
associated needs assessments and evaluations.” (AUP, VDOE) I found this section located in the
Technology Plan but not down in the body of the AUP. I feel it should be restated in the body.
Community members who are involved with helping schools and students in any way with technology
need to know and abide by policies as well as employees and students.

Overall, Houston County’s AUP is well written and follows the components that are laid out in the AUP’s:
A Handbook. It is easy to understand and covers all areas from software to Internet, administration to
students.

References:

“Acceptable Use Policies: A Handbook.”

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/go/VDOE/Technology/AUP/home.shtml

“Technology Plan 2008-2011: Policies and Procedures Appendices.” Houston County Board of
Education. 1 July 2008.

http://www.hcbe.net/technology/index.html